All hail Hayes – the business destination of the future?

When you think of the town of Hayes in the London Borough of Hillingdon, you might not automatically think of it as an office destination, owing to its industrial heritage.

In the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, it became home to many an industrial occupier, with factories springing up throughout the area, including the Old Vinyl Factory where the Beatles’ albums were manufactured.

Over the years, several leading industrial occupiers have called it home – from Nestlé and Heinz to United Biscuits.

But what of its office reputation? Could Hayes become the perfect business location for those seeking a move out of London in favour of a more cost-effective destination?

Agency Partner, Maria Hoadley, explores its exciting potential, with The Record Store building at the Old Vinyl Factory starting to make noise in the office market.

There are changes afoot in Hayes and it is an exciting time for this Middlesex town, which is in the throes of a renaissance.

A multi-million-pound mixed-use regeneration scheme, the redevelopment of the Central Research Laboratory where scientists and inventors pioneered innovations such as stereo sound and airborne radar, and the expansion of the Powerhouse, together with the refurbishment of The Record Store, is creating a unique business community in Hayes, which stands on the shoulders of its innovative past.

There are over 500 buildings in and around Hayes with lease events in 2023, spanning some 2.5m sq ft of office space.

This, together with the continued desire to get workforces back into the office, creates a significant opportunity for Hayes, as a potential business location – and here’s why.

The Record Store – Hayes

Location – the ‘Crossrail effect’

Situated within a stone’s throw of Heathrow Airport on the M4, and just a six-minute walk from the nearest Crossrail station on the Paddington line, Hayes is incredibly accessible for commuters – both from central London, as well as its surrounding suburbs.    

New public realm and amenities

The redevelopment of Hayes town centre Austin Road and Avondale Drive Estates is underway, which will see the delivery of around 740 new homes with a range of community floorspace and new public realm, including green spaces and community squares which will have a positive impact on the local area.

Office rents

Compared with its local counterparts, office rents in the town are incredibly competitive.

Whereas you might expect to pay somewhere in the region of the high £30s to low £40s psf in the likes of Staines and Uxbridge for Grade A space, in Hayes you can expect to pay into the mid-£30s psf.

Those businesses seeking to save money on their office occupation without necessarily having to compromise on space or cost, have a fantastic opportunity to take advantage of Hayes as a business location.

But as the flight to quality continues, the space on offer here has to pass occupier muster.  The refurbished Record Store Building on Blythe Road in Hayes, does just that.

What’s on offer?

The building offers flexible office space spanning anywhere from just 2,000 sq ft, up to 65,000 sq ft across six floors, making it attractive to a broad range of occupiers.

Once the place where EMI mastered ground-breaking albums by The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, this landmark art deco building designed by Wallis, Gilbert and Partners has been remastered into high end office space.

The Record Store’s vast, open-plan factory floors have been reinvented by award winning architects Allford Hall Monaghan Morris (AHMM).

Each of the six storeys with flexible floorplates of up to 15,000 sq ft, offer floor to ceiling heights of over 3.5 metres.

The building also benefits from 200 car parking spaces, as well as EV charging points, extensive natural light with views across The Old Vinyl Factory and Heathrow and has an EPC rating of B with an expected BREEAM in use rating of Very Good.

Hailing Hayes

It’s time to change the record on Hayes’ industrial past.

Its future builds on its innovative past, where businesses will seek to locate, to take advantage of all that it has to offer its people.

A six-minute walk from Hayes & Harlington train station, businesses have access to Heathrow Airport in under 10 minutes, central London in just over 20 minutes and Reading in under 30 minutes – its rail travel connectivity is fantastic.

And, having seen the quality of office space at The Record Store, we are excited about what the future holds for Hayes as a business destination – but it will be the early adopters who will benefit most.

For more information about The Record Store building, or to discuss your wider office needs, get in touch.